Drones have been a military thing for decades already. Their commercial applications have just started gaining popularity over the last decade. These days, you can find drones in all price ranges. You can even find small drones for children. Of course, toys for adults are different and come with a series of extra properties.
Apart from wedding videos and photography, drones are used with more professional purposes too. In fact, more and more experts invest in sophisticated drones to give them a hand in agriculture. They are cheaper than hiring private planes or helicopters, but they are also more efficient. Now, how can you use an agriculture drone in this field and what are the best selling products out there?
Understanding the advantages of using a drone for agriculture can help you choose a model with the right features.
With the world population and agricultural consumption growing round the clock, it is no surprise why more and more professionals rely on digital technology to keep up with the demand. Many farmers rely on satellite images to monitor crops. However, this technology has a series of minuses and one of them involves the impossibility to keep everything updated.
For this reason, more and more experts turn to drones. They are more precise and can be used at any random time. You do not have to order satellite images in advance and spend a fortune, while the weather cannot really affect the outcome (unless you face strong winds).
Drone imagery can indicate underperforming locations, so management becomes a breeze. Some drones can even be set to compare color differences. All in all, they indicate problems and provide a well deserved peace of mind. To keep it simple, a drone will add to a farmer's productivity in agriculture.
Given the high incidence of pesticides in agriculture, more and more farmers try to keep crops as natural as possible. Fertilizers are still required on a regular basis though. Unfortunately, most farmers cannot spot needy areas, so they tend to apply chemicals all over their crops.
Using an agriculture drone to identify “sick” areas is a plus. Besides, some drones can do the job for you. They identify problematic zones and spray them accordingly – the right altitude and the right amount. They can be programmed to do all these. Of course, an agriculture drone spraying model will most likely cost a fortune, but it pays for itself in the long run.
Now that you understand the necessity of flexible drones in agriculture, what are the top rated products to use in this field? More importantly, what makes them so special?
Holy Stone's agriculture drone is available in a few different colors and makes a great addition to any farmer out there. It is used to monitor crops, but also to monitor livestock over wide areas. It comes with a first person view 720P HD camera – 1280x720 pixels.
The drone has an altitude hold feature. Once you release the stick, it will maintain the altitude by itself. You can then control it with a device or even an app through your smartphone. When using the smartphone, you just have to move the device in any direction and the drone will follow these movements with a gravity sensor mode.
The drone orientation depends on the pilot – headless mode. Also, you have the 2.4G technology, meaning you can play more models simultaneously.
Pros
Cons
Potensic's best drone for agriculture is excellent to monitor livestock and crops, but also to use with recreational purposes. It features four powerful brushless motors and a smart lithium battery that gives 20 minutes of flying time. Also, it is compatible with ESCs.
The dual GPS mode has a no signal return feature, as well as a low power return. It can be controlled over up to 800 meters (over 2,600 feet) if there are no interferences. Other than that, it offers real time imagery at a solid 1080P resolution if the distance is under 500 meters. The maximum speed is 25MPH.
The drone works perfectly with VR goggles. You would have to buy them separately, but they are great to see everything in 3D.
Pros
Cons
Holy Stone's agriculture drone comes in two colors and provides first person HD videos in real time. Simply fly it up and turn it around to observe your crops or livestocks, then move it closer if you need a better view. It can provide 720P HD videos and pictures. You can also use your smartphone.
The drone comes with the altitude hold feature, meaning it will not go down once you stop using the throttle stick. The control is fairly simple when you do not have to worry about the altitude. You can also use the gravity sensor mode and control it through a smartphone application.
To make it even better, you have a headless mode (meaning it makes no difference which direction you fly it) for easy controls, as well as a home return function – excellent to avoid losing it.
Pros
Cons
Bottom line, an agriculture drone is similar to any other drone. Unless you decide to invest in a spraying drone to do half the job for you, any drone can provide monitoring capabilities. The above mentioned models are known for their multiple and efficient controls, so they are suitable for both experienced and newbie farmers.
Last update on 2024-11-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
